Firefighters spent nearly two hours putting out a fire just off Marsh Lane, Ringway, in preston.
Crews from Preston and Penwortham fire stations were called to reports of a fire in Kingswood Street shortly after midnight on Saturday (20 January).
They arrived to find the fire, which started in a bin in an alleyway, had spread to the first-floor store room of a nearby commercial premises.
Two neighbouring properties were also filled with smoke.
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Firefighters used breathing apparatus to search the buildings as a precaution and put out the fire.
No one was hurt in the fire.
Ventilation units were used to clear the smoke from all affected properties.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.